The Other Side of Evin
by Kypriotha
Summary: A sleep-deprived Evin reveals a side of him no one has seen before. Written for Fief Goldenlake's Malorie's Peak Prompt #67 'Unleashed'.


**MPP #67 - The Other Side of Evin**

The Rider Group came into the town with the dawn. They had spent the last few weeks hunting bandits and were looking forward to hot baths, good food and soft beds.

If they could find the inn, that was. After riding all night, they were exhausted and couldn't do much more than lean against their ponies and stare blearily through half closed eyes. Finally, the tallest of the group shook his head and, seemingly remembering that the crimson circle around his badge meant he was in charge, stood a little bit straighter.

"I think the inn's that way," Evin Larse said hoarsely, pointing towards a cluster of buildings that seemed larger than the others. At his side, Miri nodded weakly and gathered her reins in her hands in preparation to follow Evin. Slowly the sorry procession of muddy and wilting Riders made their way through the town.

The inn was where Evin thought it would be. Unfortunately all the doors and gates were closed. Miri tried the gate that appeared to lead to the courtyard.

"It's…locked?" Miri stared at the gate in sleep-deprived confusion.

"What?" Evin leapt forward. "It can't be locked. It's an inn! It _can't_ be locked!" Evin tried the latch and blinked at it. "It's locked!" he said in surprise.

Miri considered rolling her eyes, but then decided she was too tired to bother. She settled for gazing listlessly at Evin's back as he went from door to gate and checked each one. By the time he had checked all of them the tiredness had gone from his step and he was positively stomping.

"They're all locked!" Evin's usually even tone was raised in anger. "This is ridiculous! How do they expect to get any customers if they keep all their doors locked?"

The rest of the group could only stare stupidly at their normally easy going leader who was now pacing up and down in front of the inn. Luckily, his ponies were as tired as the Riders and were content to stay where he'd dropped their leads. Finally, one of the other Riders spoke up.

"Maybe…there's another inn we could try?"

Evin looked at him with wild eyes. "Another inn? How big do you think this town is? Do you see another inn?" Evin glared at the woman, who stood with her mouth hanging open and dumbly shook her head. "No, I didn't think so! This is the only inn. And we are going to stay here! Even if I have to break down the door myself!"

With that, Evin marched up to the door leading to the main building and started hammering on it. It wasn't his usually brisk rat-a-tat-tat. This was full on hammering the door with both his fists in an unrelenting and loud symphony.

It was so loud it reached even the sleepiest of the Riders and made them flinch. It was so loud it echoed down the street and made the ponies nervous.

It was so loud it woke up the inn keeper.

He threw open the door and stood there glaring, narrowly missing being pounded in the face by Evin, whose enraged and tired brain was a little bit slow in catching up with the fact the door had been opened. He realised when the inn keeper yelled at him.

"What in the name of Mithros do you think you're doing? You'll wake up all my guests!"

"Oh, we'll wake up your guests, will we? Imagine the horror of people not being able to sleep! How terrible would it be if people who wanted to sleep couldn't – maybe because the inn they want to sleep at was locked!"

The inn keeper spluttered, possible because Evin was leaning in so close to his face that he was having trouble breathing. "The inn is locked every night! I can't have people coming in the middle of the night and causing problems! If you want a room here, you'll have to come back when it's actually light. Good day to you!"

He went to slam the door shut again, but quickly realised he couldn't – on account of Evin's whole body being in the way. Evin's face, which was mere millimetres away from the inn keeper's, was going red.

"Listen here, my good man. We are the Queen's Riders. We have just spent the last few weeks riding our butts off so people like you can sleep safe in your beds! You _will_ let us in and you _will_ give us everything we ask for."

The inn keeper, whose face was beginning to go purple, spluttered again. Apparently he wasn't used to being shouted at by tall, angry, dirty representatives of the law of the realm. But he tried to stand his ground.

"I'm sorry, but those are the rules of the inn. If I break them for you, I'll have to break them for everyone. Now please leave and come back when we open!"

His attempt at trying to shut the door again was interrupted when Evin picked him up by the shoulders and threw him up against the wall. His slightly purple face quickly went bright purple.

"I don't think you heard me correctly." Evin's voice, previously very loud, had gone dangerously quiet. The other Riders looked at each other. They'd never heard Evin speak like this before. "We are the Queen's Riders. We have been doing our job of keeping peace in Tortall. Now you will do your job and provide us with food and shelter. Have I made myself clear?"

The inn keeper made a strangled sound which Evin clearly didn't think was a good enough form of acknowledgement because he shook him. "I'll ask you again. Have I made myself clear?"

This time the inn keeper managed to nod and Evin, now satisfied, put him back on the ground and pretended not to notice as the inn keeper made retching sounds and massaged his shoulders. Evin turned back to the other Riders and rubbed his hands together, smiling brightly.

"So…do you guys want to eat or have baths first?"


End file.
